Entity Staff Report - 7/4/2021CITY COUNCIL OF SALT LAKE CITY
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COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL of SALT LAKE CITY
TO:City Council Members
FROM: Russell Weeks
Senior Policy Analyst
DATE:April 6, 2021 at 10:03 PM
RE: LIBRARY SYSTEM BUDGET AMENDMENT NO. 1
NEW INFORMATION
The City Council held a public hearing on the proposed budget amendment on March 16, 2021. No one
spoke at the hearing. Given that, and the Council’s decision to forward the proposed amendment for the hearing
at its February 9 work session briefing, staff has prepared a motion for the Council to adopt the budget
amendment ordinance. The motion is attached to this report.
To review, the proposed amendment would, among other things, recognize receipt of a grant, continue
funding for the System’s Master Facilities Plan, and fund items for the Sprague Branch Library renovation.
Information below this sentence has appeared in previous City Council staff reports.
At the end of the City Council’s February 9, 2021, work session briefing on the proposed budget
amendment the Council said it would schedule a public hearing and after the hearing consider the item at a later
date. Council staff has prepared a motion to reflect the Council’s direction.
Item Schedule:
Briefing: February 9, 2021
Set Date: February 16, 2021
Public Hearing: March 16,
2021
Potential Action: April 6,
2021
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ISSUE AT-A-GLANCE
Goal of the briefing: To discuss proposed amendments to the Salt Lake City Library System
budget for the current fiscal year.
o The proposed amendment is divided into two parts – an amendment to the System’s General
Fund, and an amendment to the System’s Capital Projects Fund.
o The proposed amendments would, among other things, recognize receipt of a grant, continue
funding for the System’s Master Facilities Plan, and fund items for the Sprague Branch Library
renovation.
o Because there is no formal meeting February 9, 2021, the City Council would set a date for a
public hearing at its February 16 meeting.
POLICY QUESTIONS
1.Would the City Council like to schedule an update of progress on the System’s Master Facilities Plan?
ADDITIONAL & BACKGROUND INFORMATION
As the Administration transmittal indicates, the Library System Board of Directors at its December
2020 meeting adopted a motion to approve a budget amendment of $620,895 for the Library General Fund, and
$260,000 for the Library Capital Projects Fund.
The largest revenue source and allocation is a $420,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and
Library Services to develop a model for increasing digital access to underserved populations in Salt Lake City.
The grant originally was expected to be awarded in spring 2020. The grant will be used for the System’s Digital
Navigators Program and help people in Rose Park, Poplar Grove, and Glendale get connected to the Internet.
The program got under way in December 2020. “Navigators,” who work one-on-one with residents, helped 51
people during December, according to Library Director Peter Bromberg.1 The program goal is to help people get
connected with affordable home internet, find affordable computing devices, and learn basic digital skills.
The proposed amendment also would allocate $170,895 from fund balance to help complete the
System’s Master Facilities Plan. The plan is under way, but was not completed by the end of the last fiscal year.
The City Council first considered the plan in November 2019. According to Library Director Bromberg, the
Master Facilities Plan will be used in conjunction with the 2019 Facilities Condition Assessment to guide the
System’s long-term plans for buildings, services, and collections, and assuring that decisions are based on
community and staff input about community aspirations, changing neighborhoods, demographics, and
economic conditions.2
Another $30,000 would be allocated to help pay for damage to the Main Library from the March 2020
earthquake. According to the transmittal, “While Library staff was able to do many of the repairs, outside
contractors were hired to replace broken glass in windows and partitions throughout the Main Library.”
Two allocations pertaining to the Capital Projects Fund are $135,000 for the Sprague Branch Library
renovation, and $125,000 to install specialized filters in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units
throughout the Library System.
At the Library Board of Directors meeting January 25, Deputy Director Deborah Ehrman said the
Sprague project is close to receiving a certificate of occupancy. The proposed allocation would help pay for a
completely redone east entrance to branch and collections. The east entrance now will have outdoor areas for
people to sit. Ms. Ehrman said furniture and computers are scheduled to be installed by mid-March.
Allocating the $125,000 would speed up installation of ionization filtration systems in HVAC units at all
libraries. According to the transmittal, “In addition to mitigating the spread of Covid-19, these systems kill mold,
bacteria, and other viruses and reduce allergens, odors, smoke and particles.”
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1 Library Director’s Report, Peter Bromberg, January 25, 2021, Page 1.
2 Library Director’s Report, Peter Bromberg, January 25, 2021, Page 5.